


sleep is for the weak (this coffee shop is my heaven)

by ffslynch



Series: Kenma Ship Week 2020 [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 24 hour coffee shop AU, Anxious Kozume Kenma, Coffee Shops, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Good Friend, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25542163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffslynch/pseuds/ffslynch
Summary: "Let’s be honest, there’s only two people that visit a 24 hours coffee place: deranged people that are so desperately craving caffeine (to fight sleep or find sobriety) that they don’t give a fuck about anyone's else existence, or miserable students and procrastinators that have only a few hours to pull a mind-blowing paper that is probably worth 70% of their grade out of their ass and, therefore, do not give a fuck about anyone’s else existence. "(Kenma and Akaashi are both sleep-deprived students that go to the same 24h coffee shop every single night.)Kenma Ship Week 2020 - Day 2 - Coffee Shop Au
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Kozume Kenma, Kozume Kenma & Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: Kenma Ship Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896289
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59
Collections: Kenma Ship Week 2020





	sleep is for the weak (this coffee shop is my heaven)

Kenma has never considered himself a particularly violent person. He is pretty tame and keeps his cool in general, with the exception of one event or another. But he swears to god if Kuroo texts him one more time berating him for his sleeping time, he can and will murder him, regardless of him being his best friend for over 15 years. The communications major is not even living in the same country as him and is still as worried and annoying about Kenma’s health and sleeping habits. 

To be very honest, it was just very confusing to Kenma. Kuroo is probably the one person in the world that know him better than he knows himself. So how come he just doesn’t get that Kenma is more productive during the long night hours? His brain just functions better, the world is silent and peaceful, and he can finally get some work done without useless interruptions. Pulling all-nighters is a habit he picked up on his last year of middle school and kept going more and more frequently, and by the time he got in college, the days Kenma went to bed before 3 am were a miracle. He loved being awake during the night. Kenma was the happiest on the lonely and silent hours before the sunrise.

That is until his second year rolled around and Haiba Lev happened. 

Lev was Kenma’s new roommate and possibly the most annoying, clueless person he had ever met. Guy just wouldn’t take a hint, ever. He wouldn’t leave Kenma alone, would talk all the time, listen to music without headphones and it slowly drove him insane. But the worst part of it, he snored. Loudly. As in Kenma could barely concentrate on his works and heading. He could play video games just fine, if the music was loud enough, but studying? Getting his very intrinsic ate and complex computer science assignments done and in a level of quality that he considered good enough for his own standards? Absolutely impossible.

And that’s how Kenma ends up finding himself on the campus 24h coffee shop at least 4 days of the week. He usually uses the library during the day, but they close at 19h and Kenma works his best long after that. Besides, it always triggers his anxiety. In the library, he is constantly worried that he is bothering other people with his tapping on the keyboard, or maybe he is breathing too hard, or maybe they just think he looks weird. He knows it makes no sense, knows its illogical and that he himself has poked fun of Kuroo a handful of times for his true enjoyment when going to the library. The library is not a ‘cool kids only’ place. But he still feels judged and anxious and fidgety, which only makes his anxiety even worse.

The coffee shop, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Let’s be honest, there’s only two people that visit a 24 hours coffee place: deranged people that are so desperately craving caffeine (to fight sleep or find sobriety) that they don’t give a fuck about anyone's else existence, or miserable students and procrastinators that have only a few hours to pull a mind-blowing paper that is probably worth 70% of their grade out of their ass and, therefore, do not give a fuck about anyone’s else existence. 

It’s the perfect place for Kenma. He becomes a regular quickly and by the middle of the semester, the barista knows him enough to have his usual order ready and to not try to make small talk with him. Sure, it’s not as comfortable as his bedroom but given the conditions (aka Lev and his stupidly strong snore), it’s not bad at all. That is until the day Kenma committed the huge mistake of looking up from the computer. You see, most people stop going after 3 or 4 days, they’re usually only working on last-minute assignments and don’t really feel the need to pull all-nighters after they get it done. Kenma was so sure he was the only other student whose sleep schedule was fucked up enough to be regularly visiting the coffee shop from 10 pm-5am every day, he didn’t even pay attention until the incident.

It was no big deal, really. He had been working on his assignment for a few hours now and decided to stretch his arms and back a bit, take his eyes away from his screen. As he looked up from the laptop, Kenma accidentally looked right into another man eyes. It was so sudden and abrupt that both maintained the eye contact for a few seconds, before awkwardly looking away. Kenma shakes his head and immediately goes back to work on his assignment, not looking up again until he finally feels like he has done for the day. When he closes the laptop, the man is gone. The particular shade of green lingers on his mind for a bit, but he doesn’t really think about it much. Probably just another student that he won’t see it again until possibly the final's week.

Except that the man is there again when Kenma walks in the next day. And every day for the rest of the week. Same tired eyes with a particular shade of green, same eye bags and dishevelled black hair, same glasses positioned on the slope of his nose and restless expression. Like he hasn’t slept in months. Like he doesn’t have enough hours on the day to get everything he needs to do, done. Like he carries the world on his shoulders, and the only way to relieve is through a peaceful night of sleep that he will never get so he settles for the next best thing and dawns three cups of coffee instead. When Kenma walks into the shop and sees him for the third on a row, he gulps. He tries to tell himself that the man probably doesn’t remember him, wouldn’t recognize him, doesn’t care about him. His sanctuary of unjudged anonymity and cheap coffee is still safe. But his eyes keep escaping to check on the stranger, to see if he’s looking at him (he isn’t) to the point that the barista fetching him his drink ends up noticing.

“Friend of yours?” she asks and Kenma and his eyes grow huge, slightly shocked.

“N-no. I’ve just seen him often” He explains, shyly.

“Well, yeah, he’s a regular like you” She smiles softly and handles him the beverage cup “I guess work has been getting the best of you if you haven’t noticed” Kenma nods vigorously and thanks her for the drink before going to his usual table. He sits down and begins settling himself, turning the computer on and tasting his drink. As he does, he looks up and almost like a déjà vu, his eyes and the strangers cross again. Of course. Once again Kenma looks away embarrassed and slides down on his chair, hoping that maybe he’ll disappear behind his laptop the stranger will forget this second incident, and his existence altogether.

But it keeps happening. Like becoming aware of a piece of corn stuck in your gum or that you have a mosquito bite in the middle of your back, an itch you can’t scratch, Kenma keeps looking up and accidentally meeting the strangers’ eyes, again and again. The same happens the next day, and the next and the one after that. And every time, Kenma wants to just slide down and let the floor swallow him whole. 

A week and a half pass by, and Kenma and the stranger keep playing this game. Kenma feels his anxiety rising every time he goes to the café. It gets to the point where one day, during his and Kuroo’s traditional meal time face time hour (a tradition they picked up after the older boy moved overseas for college), Kuroo briefly interrupts his nagging about his poor sleeping schedule to makes fun of him.

“Kenma, dearest, you’re overthinking this. You said it yourself that the reason why you go there so much is that no one gives a fuck about anyone.”

“We literally lock eyes at least 3 times a night, Kuroo. 3 fucking times. He must think I’m a weirdo who keeps staring at him.”

“Bold of him to judge someone when he’s also spending his nights on a 24h coffee shop, ruining his vision and possible health with lack of sleep

Kenma rolls his eyes and refuses to entertain Kuroo’s message

“On a real note tho, cause it seems you haven’t realized that, but if you keep making eye contact with him, doesn’t that mean he is looking at you as well?”

Kenma blushes. He hadn’t really thought about that, only that the stranger might think that he was a creep. 

“Thank you” He whispers silently

“No problems dearest,” Kuroo says, giving him a soft smile on the screen. God, Kenma missed his best friend. He always knew just what to say. “So, when are you making a move?” Nops, never mind, Kuroo is a dumbass

“W-what?”

“A move. C’mon Kenma, do you seriously expect me to think that you don’t have a thing for this dude? The guy you not only noticed, and we both know how bad you are regarding other people when your brain goes into work mode, but have been rambling about to me for the past, what now, a week or so? You literally never talk about other people that are not our friends or family, much less this frequently.” Kenma stays awfully quiet for a moment. He hates Kuroo and how he knows him the best.

“He is...Not ugly” Kenma admits, reluctantly and closes his eyes as he hears Kuroo’s classical cackle. “Shut up. I hate you.” It only makes Kuroo laugh louder “I’m going to hang up on you,” Kenma says, reaching out for his phone

“Wait! Wait, wait, wait-” Kuroo says, trying to catch his breath “ Kenma, for real, stop hiding away behind your laptop. Nothing wrong with finding the dude attractive, he probably thinks the same - do not dare to disagree with me with some self-deprecating comment” He says before Kenma can refute him. Damn it Kuroo. “The coffee shop is your spot. If you don’t plan on making a move, then just do the trick we used to do back in school for matches in different towns. They are just NPCs. They are not real people, just programmed sims that do a specific move repeatedly. Focus on your work, do your thing. He doesn’t care, no one does. It’s only a coffee shop. Ok?” Kenma nods slowly.

“Ok.”

“But if you do make a move, however…” Kuroo beings

“Bye Kuro,” Kenma says and hangs on his face before he can say anything. The call ends, interrupting his laugh. 

‘Just go for it!!! Introduce yourself, buy him a coffee, tell him he makes your insides melt! Charm him with your pudding head, you can do this’ his friend texts him later, but Kenma ignores it.

Later on, Kenma finds himself on his table at the café, as usual. He is just starting to get some work done when he looks up and, of course, locks eyes with the stranger. Except for this time, neither of them looks away. Kenma gulps and breaks the eye contact first, embarrassment and anxiety starting to rise. Except for this time, Kuroo’s annoying voice keeps talking on the background. Words of swift encouragement, telling him to just say hi. Just introduce himself. Just end this awkward tension. If nothing comes of it, he acknowledged the elephant in the room and it should be less awkward if they ever accidentally stare into each other’s eyes again. But if Kuroo’s theory it’s right...

Goddammit, Kuroo.

Kenma takes a breath and gets ready to get up and go over the guy. He can do this. He will do this. 

“Excuse me, can I sit here?” Kenma looks up and the stranger is in front of his table, a drink in one hand and a token bag filled with notebooks on his shoulder.

“The tension was a bit unbearable, to be honest.” The stranger tells him. His face is tired, but he is voice is soft and light, almost as if he is telling a joke, if not a bit hesitant. Like he is unsure it will be well-received. “The whole eye-catching thing... It has been happening for a while now and you were looking a bit uncomfortable so, I thought I’d introduce myself” He says, shyly “I’m Akaashi” 

“Kenma” he replies, anxiously

“So... Can I? Sit here, I mean”

“Oh, yeah, of course” Kenma says, pushing his notebook aside and making room for Akaashi things. They sit down

“Yeah, uh, my roommate snores a lot and I can’t really get things done”

“I get that” Akaashi gives him a tired smile 

“Why do you come here so often?”

“I just feel like I’m more productive if there are people around. Like, I can’t stop working cause if I do they’ll know I’m not doing anything.”

“You thrive on accountability” Kenma jokes and Akaashi nods

“Also, if I studied on my dorm I’d just lay down on my bed and falls asleep” he confesses and Kenma gives him a tiny smile.

“I get that,” he says. Akaashi nods and takes a sip of his drink

“I don’t want to disturb your work, really. I just wanted to say hi, address the elephant in the room…” he comments, seemingly more nervous. Kenma shakes his head

“No, you’re-You’re not disturbing. It’s ok” He says. “You can stay if you like. We can, uh, study together, I guess” Akaashi nods again, as shy and hesitant as Kenma.

“If you don’t mind…”

“I don’t!” Kenma says and cringes. Too blunt. Too direct. This stupid crush is making him give too much of himself.

“Ok,” Akaashi says, settling down and opening his notebook. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Kenma breaks and asks.

“What do you study?”

“Literature.” He answers “And you?”

“Computer science”

“Oh. That sounds hard…”

“Not really,” Kenma says with a shrug “It’s mostly numbers made into language. When you know the basics it gets easier” he explains and Akaashi nods slowly, his brows furrowed

“Numbers made into language... That’s pretty interesting, I had never heard that,” he replies, head leaning a bit, hands around the cup. “I suppose we’re both language students, then.”

“I wouldn’t go that far” Kenma replies, smiling a little. Akaashi raises his eyebrows and looks down, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink

“Oh, well, forget it then,” he says and Kenma panics freaks out for a second thinking that maybe he was too rude, maybe he embarrassed Akaashi and ruined this whole thing - which is barely a thing, really - and now he will get up and not talk to him again and it will be so awkward he will have to find a new place to study and - “I guess it’s just me projecting my major on other people. Sorry, it’s an issue that comes when you’re literally studying literary analysis, subtext and intertextuality.” His voice is still light, as if he’s thinking about a joke without really telling it, there is no anger behind it. Kenma takes a breath and then another. It’s ok. He is ok.

“I was never the best at literature.” he admits “Are planning on being a writer? Or a teacher?”

“Neither” Akaashi responds “I want to be an editor actually.”

“Oh, that sounds nice.” Kenma says “What... What exactly does an editor do?”

Akaashi explains it, his soft voice feeling Kenma’s ears. He asks Kenma what does he want to do after college, to which Kenma, in turn, explains his plans to go for the industry of video game development. The conversation picks and it flows easily. Neither of them gets much, if any, studying done but Kenma finds he doesn’t mind one bit. Talking to Akaashi is nice. It feels easy and it makes him feel good. He enjoys looking into his eyes and listen to him ramble about the topics on his soothing voice and the way the plays with his own fingers when he is distracted. Kenma typically finds so hard to talk to other people that are not his childhood friends, that have known him for years, that he is amazed by how good it feels to talk to someone he called stranger just a few hours of the same day. The clock ticks, and they barely notice as the night goes by. Akaashi seems genuinely surprised when his phone alarm rings and Kenma is even more surprised to find it's a quarter past four in the morning already. He couldn’t tell you where the time went, but he could say what was Akaashi’s favourite book and why, that he liked takoyaki but his favourite food was his grandmas’ recipe of nahohana with karashi dressing, and that he drank his coffee black, so Kenma supposed it had been worth it. 

“Oh, I have to go.” He looks up, apologetic. Kenma nods his head

“Yeah, no, me too,” He says, turning off his computer. 

Both boys gathered their things and left the coffee shop, standing face to face to another in the middle of the very deserted sidewalk.

“This was nice,” Akaashi says, breaking the silence.

“Yeah” Kenma swallows dry before speaking again, his eyes stuck on the floor “Maybe we could do this again, sometime?”

“I’d like that” Akaashi tells him, a soft smile on his face. “So...I’ll text you.”

“Ok” Kenma says

“Ok” They stare at each for a few more seconds before saying goodbye and parting ways. Half an hour later, as Kenma lies on his bed and dawn threatens to break outside his window, he blushes thinking about the prospect of a future date. His phone buzzes and he checks the new message. 

TEXT FROM: idiot (kuro)

Leaving my last class now. Was your study session too ruined by the sexual tension or did were you able to relax and get shit done?

TEXT TO: idiot (kuro)

didnt study. got coffee + akaashis number

TEXT FROM: idiot (kuro)

?????

Who's Akaashi??

OMG, is he the stranger??

Kenma dearest do you have a date??? With the boy I said was into you and you dismissed?? 

TEXT TO: idiot (kuro)

Good night Kuroo

TEXT FROM: idiot (kuro)

Pretty sure it’s good morning to you

But fine, fine, go get your beauty rest, but I want all the details as soon as you’re awake

And btw: I told you so.

Kenma rolls his eyes but let's out a chuckle and turns around to sleep. Kuroo is an idiot, but sometimes (just sometimes), he is right about stuff.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! Please let me know what you think, all feedback is welcome :)
> 
> You can find me on twitter @ffskuroo


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